Raven's Late Attempt at 75 Books In a Year! - #2

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Discussie75 Books Challenge for 2022

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Raven's Late Attempt at 75 Books In a Year! - #2

1Ravenwoodwitch
Bewerkt: aug 12, 2022, 1:44 pm

Alright! Round two, *claps* lets go!

I am extremely new to both the website and this group so I apologize if I'm doing anything wrong ^^;
This challenge is perfect since I was such a veracious reader from about third grade to high school and fell out of practice in college (what with them making me read somewhere around 10 textbooks daily, ouch _@). I want to use this to hold me accountable and pick up some new reads so everyone wish me luck!
I'll make a couple posts about what I've already read. Do audiobooks count? I usually have three going now since my job has me reading from my phone (e-reader), I like to craft (audiobooks) and I just love a physical book when I'm going to bed. I have no qualms about corrections and I can't wait to share about my new literature journey :)


Books so Far:18

2Ravenwoodwitch
Bewerkt: aug 29, 2022, 6:29 pm

Current Reads
- Spinning Silver - Physical Book
- The Exorcist - Audiobook/Paused
- The Lottery and Other Stories - Audiobook
- The King in Yellow - EBook

3norabelle414
aug 1, 2022, 10:45 pm

Congrats on your first ever second thread! You're a pro :-)

4WhiteRaven.17
aug 2, 2022, 1:03 am

Happy new thread!

5FAMeulstee
Bewerkt: aug 2, 2022, 4:49 am

Happy second thread, Angela!

6PaulCranswick
aug 2, 2022, 4:45 am

Well done, Kro!

Congratulations on your new thread. x

7figsfromthistle
aug 2, 2022, 5:59 am

Happy new one!

8curioussquared
aug 2, 2022, 11:57 am

Happy first-ever new thread, Angela!

9Ravenwoodwitch
aug 2, 2022, 2:24 pm

You guys know how to make someone feel accomplished early in the week. Really, thank you :)


Good morning everyone,
Week started kinda rough as I had to pick up some extra projects. But, it's done, and now we can get back to regular business.
My latest recommendation to anyone needing something to listen to (besides an audio book) is the Distractable podcast, as done by youtuber Markiplier and his two friends, Bob and Wade. Topics are random (and occasionally NSFW) but I have never had so many belly laughs in a single episode of a podcast. Go for it :)

Best of luck to everyone's day!

10drneutron
aug 2, 2022, 3:25 pm

Happy new thread!

11scaifea
aug 3, 2022, 3:44 pm

Happy new thread!

From your last thread: Oh, ho HO, you're in for a real treat with Spinning Silver! I adore Novik.

12Ravenwoodwitch
aug 3, 2022, 10:00 pm

Evening everyone :)
First of all, thanks for all the messages about the new thread. This is a great step for me in consistency, I'll have you know (don't ask me how hard it is for me to keep a journal).
Things IRL are balancing back out so no real updates, other than finding out I will be up bright and early for a Monday zoom meeting (sleep, what's that? That's for suckers. *eyeroll*)
Onto the progress report!

Finished
"The Street of the First Shell" - The King in Yellow

I'll skip the usual sectioning because, I got to be honest, this was bad. This was a slog to read and I'm done wasting my time on it.
It takes place during the siege of Paris and its about an American artist, his model, a comrade accused of being a German spy, and a lot of fighting. By my research this story has no connection to the "Yellow Mythos" (that is a thing. Huh) and I'm not sure what its doing here. But, yee gods, did I find it boring.

13Ravenwoodwitch
aug 5, 2022, 1:51 pm

Good Afternoon/Morning everyone,
Yesterday was a slow, sluggish one; three days of "meh" sleep will do that for me. But, today, I am rested, exercised, and have my warm cup of matcha to keep me awake for the rest of the afternoon. Speaking with my therapist tomorrow morning and just scrambling to get a large workload done before the weekend.

Not much on a progress report today, other than the strange round of inspiration I feel to write. May have some new horror stories in my future.
*steeples fingers* Yeeeeeessss. Tee-hee.

14Ravenwoodwitch
aug 6, 2022, 4:46 pm

Good afternoon everybody :)

I think the talk with my therapist went well. Today was the icebreaker appointment to get my goals and comfort zones established (which I appreciated.)
Errands are done: Groceries bought, tea stash fattened, delicious lunch with my mama devoured and enjoyed. And after a workout on the stationary bike it will be time for me to chill until dinner. It'll be a day of video games and making some progress on my books.

Crafting Report
- So I played around with this fuzzy, soft pink yarn. It feels great but it is SO slippery when I crochet with it that it messes with my tension. A wooden hook would probably suffice better, but, have the knitters in the room had better experience with fuzzy yarn on their needles?

15kaida46
aug 6, 2022, 11:00 pm

A nice pleasant day, good for you!
I tried using a fuzzy yarn once, soft and a nice forest green, (I only do very basic crochet) and it was really hard for me to work with. I wound up giving the skeins to my daughter who can both knit and crochet.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

16Ravenwoodwitch
aug 9, 2022, 8:19 pm

Afternoon/Evening everyone!
First,

>15 kaida46: Yeah I will test mine on some wood kniting needles. I agree with TLC Yarn Crafts; you shouldn't struggle with your crochet.

Now.
Things are going alright. Three days of waking up too early for a decent night-owl (such as myself) are over and I finally managed to get some longer sleep. My arms are gonna kill me tomorrow, but I got a decent workout in and made a discovery with my copy of I Am Legend: while the book is beefy, and while the novela is the bulk of it, the rest are but three short stories by the author. I'm more than halfway done with this story and, I hope everyone will forgive me if I call this book a done for the year and count it to my totals once I've wrapped I Am Legend up.
Because, as a preview for my review, I have no interest whatsoever in any other stories by Richard Matheson.

17scaifea
aug 10, 2022, 1:01 pm

>14 Ravenwoodwitch: Yeah, I'd say try a wood (I love bamboo ones) hook for that yarn.

18norabelle414
aug 11, 2022, 8:44 am

>16 Ravenwoodwitch: I hated Matheson's other stories as well (except for one very short one called The Near Departed) so I support you!

19Ravenwoodwitch
Bewerkt: aug 12, 2022, 1:47 pm

Listening To - "Kaisarion" by Ghost. Impera is such a good album.

Good morning everyone :)
I"ve had my coffee and oatmeal, so I think I'm ready for my next review before work. There are good books. There are bad books. And then, there are the ones that are raging, pretentious disappointments.

Book #18 Of The Year - I Am Legend - Physical Copy


As mentioned, to be upfront, I am slightly cheating; the actual book isn't finished and has some short stories at the end of it. But, as I did not enjoy this story very much I have opted not to read those and call this one done.

Quick Summery
Robert Neville (a name burned into my brain since the author likes to use his first and last name all the time) believes himself to be the last man on earth, after a strange virus turns the rest of his town/country into raging, bloodsucking vampires. He's kept them at bay through a variety of tricks but to no idea of what end.

My Thoughts
I think I already said I really don't like this one, but let me go into more detail. The Non-spoiler version first.
This book frustrates me because it had potential that it wasted on strange writing decisions and pretentious cliches. The writing had nothing about it that I found enjoyable (or terrible, really. It was just bland.) And for something that promised to be disturbing, it dropped the ball on the psychological horror of the situation multiple times.
Stephen King mentions Matheson as one of his inspirations, and I find that hard to believe. I recommend watching the Will Smith film instead, and picking up The Stand if you really want an enjoyable last day's story. Bleck.

Now, Spoilers.
I hate "scientific" explanations for vampirism. It makes things so boring. And surprise, it's not a virus; it's a bacteria. Dracula is defeated by penicillin, the story at five. And when Robert Neville isn't discovering how boring a plague of vampires can actually be, he's spending far too much time locked up in his fortified house, bemoaning the lady vampires outside and his terrible lack of sex. And the ending surprise of a society of smart vampires that were taking over society hit me while I was so jaded that the twist fell flat. Again, if you want The Everyman at The End of the World, go read The Stand.

Next Read
The Darcys are nearing the end of their mystery. On top of that, we'll add one of a similar situation that I'm hoping did more with the base idea -
Bird Box

(edited because I didn't catch that I had the wrong book in the touchstone, lol)

20Ravenwoodwitch
aug 12, 2022, 2:05 pm

Book #19 of The Year - Suspense and Sensibility - Physical Copy



Quick Summery
Mr. & Mrs Darcy are hoping to finally get a taste of newlywed life (after an apparent reeling mystery prior that, you bet, I will be checking out) while also taking Elizabeth's younger sister, Kitty, under their wings for her societal debut. It seems, on first glance, that things go swimmingly when the gentleman that catches her eye is none other than Mr. Henry - "Harry" Dashwood (the young child nephew of Elinor and Marianne) now a restless young man, newly wealthy through the inheritance of his late father. But sweet romance is interrupted by the supernatural shadow of Harry's distant relative, Sir Francis Dashwood. Harry's behavior takes a sudden, shocking turn, and rumors of the Hellfire Club's return begin to float around the ton. And it all began with the discovery of a beautiful, antique mirror.

My Thoughts
If you had told me I'd be reading a Pride and Prejudice crossover with Sense and Sensibility, complete with the very real historical figure known for running amuck in regency England with his hedonistic "monks," all wrapped in a supernatural mystery, I would have assumed I'd stumbled upon a college English major's fanfiction they wrote in between classes. But, instead, I got this insane story, well written and decently paced, written by an independent writer who's a member of the Jane Austen Society and not afraid to get dramatic.
I loved it. I loved every single page of it. This story goes full force into the concept - with a fanfic writer's reckless abandon - with such loving detail to doing justice to the characters involved. My only complaint is that the actual mystery takes a very long time to get off the ground, and the actual solution is done at the end, and a little rushed. But I haven't had this much fun with a regency story since they started fighting zombies.
In short, this one is eventually going on the shelf. And we're gonna track down the story that came before it.

Next Book - The "more serious" writer of regency mysteries, apparently. Jane and the Ghosts of Netley.

21kaida46
Bewerkt: aug 12, 2022, 2:53 pm

Make that two people that liked the Will Smith movie version better than the book version of I Am Legend. The thing I remember from the book is how the guy always seemed to be furiously smoking all the time and was pretty paranoid in the story, but I guess if you thought you were the only one left you'd be a bit crazy too. I did read the rest of the stories and can vaguely remember the Monkey's Paw tale? Unless I am mixing things up in my brain because its been like 10 yrs since I read it. I think Matheson also wrote for the Twilight Zone TV series.
I am presently slowly making my way through listening to another last man on earth type of tale, Earth Abides, on disc 6 of 12, pretty good so far and is recognized as a classic work of the SF genre, if you are looking for more such tales.

Recently I read a collection of stories Isaac Asimov Presents the Best Science Fiction Firsts which included a Matheson tale. The book featured science fiction stories that were the 'first' to introduce a new concept such as clones, antimatter, the generation starship, invisibility, overpopulation, etc. The Test by Richard Matheson addressed overpopulation, (story written in 1954), and was one of my favorites from that book.

22Ravenwoodwitch
aug 12, 2022, 3:48 pm

>21 kaida46: I may have gotten his less than impressive work, it sounds like. I've taken Hell House off my list for now but I may try something else from your suggestions in the future :)

23Ravenwoodwitch
aug 13, 2022, 12:36 pm

Good Afternoon all!

It is Saturday; I finally got some good sleep, and I figured I'd update before I went and got some donuts for breakfast. I am also taking advantage of my roomate being at work (we have different music tastes).

On The Playlist - "Painkiller" by Judas Priest, in which legend Rob Halford demonstrates his skills with nitro vocals.

The plans today are to do the grocery shopping for next week and maybe get some new house plants to replace the two that died (tropical plants are hard). I also decided to hold a couple of my reads, since they were just sitting there, unopened, for a while. I think the narrator for the Ray Bradberry book just wasn't working with me so I'm hoping to find a physical copy. I also think the Jane Austin mystery book just doesn't mesh with me; the writing is just not engaging me and I think this will be one for another time. In the meantime, I will tackle my last two checked-out library books, including one by the author Koji Suzuki. For those curious, that's the man who wrote the book the "Ring" movies are based on. I think a YouTuber mentioned he's Japan's equivalent to Stephen King in terms of being prolific.

The other plan is to get a couple of squares of my blanket done while watching Netflix. I am behind on Aggretsuko and this won't stand.

24Ravenwoodwitch
aug 15, 2022, 2:00 pm

Today's Tune - "Rising Force" by Yngwie Malmsteen (don't be scared by the Sweedish name ;). Think of an 80's guitar guy, in the same vein as Eddie Van Halen, but 80s metal instead.)

Happy Monday everyone :)
After an extremely fun and productive Sunday I am ready to get back to the grindstone. Plans today are work, writing, dinner tonight, and some time with The Switch while listening to my from Shirley Jackson's collection, which I am enjoying. It's not the "Ghost Goes 'BOO!'" Horror I'm used to, and more just a series of unsettling, surreal short stories, but I'm really sinking my teeth into them. The narrators are also pretty fantastic, so, that helps ^^
Does it say something about me that the story that unnerves me the most is the one where the man got kicked out of his neat, perfectly decorated apartment into the unkempt nightmare of his friend's? Lol

25curioussquared
aug 15, 2022, 2:31 pm

Happy Monday, Angela!

26Ravenwoodwitch
aug 16, 2022, 1:49 pm

Today's Tunes - "Square Hammer" by Ghost to start us, and I'm feeling some classic rock, so, moving onto Alice Cooper and Black Sabbath next.

Haaaaapy Tuesday everyone!
I'm drinking in good vibes because there's another early morning meeting at work tomorrow, and I will be close to death for most of the day (night shifts are hard.) So, after work, will be curling up to work on Edge while munching leftovers.
I enjoyed my time with Shirley Jackson's short stories yesterday. There's something hypnotizing about these "ordinary" situations she's setting up, with these hidden horrific undercurrents that hit harder when I think about later.

27Ravenwoodwitch
aug 20, 2022, 12:51 pm

Today's Tunes - Back to my favorite groove, Fleetwood Mac. While Daisy Jones didn't quite mesh with me, there is no denying that "Little Lies" is a piece of genius.

Good morning Library Thingamabobs, how are we this lovely weekend?
I'm doing great. Got through some major crunch work at my job to crash down into a movie on Friday ("The Boy", which I will talk about later). I've made plenty of progress with the short story collection and plan to use today to catch up on the others in between the video games.

As mentioned I watched "The Boy" last night, a PG13 horror/thriller film about a couple hiring a nanny to take care of their porcelain doll son, Brahms, while they go away on holiday. I wasn't expecting much - I never was all that frightened by creepy dolls, since they can be drop-kicked or buried in the backyard - but I do admit to being surprised by the ending twist and the overall direction they went. That said, it's full of enough horror cliches (the flashy editing, creepy voice on the phone, scary dream jumpscares) that I don't think its worth investing any significant money to own. 6/10 for me.

28scaifea
aug 23, 2022, 12:45 pm

>27 Ravenwoodwitch: I remember seeing the preview for that movie and thinking that it looked...interesting...

29Ravenwoodwitch
aug 23, 2022, 4:59 pm

>28 scaifea: Interesting is the right word, yeah. It had a concept that worked well that it just didn't dig too deep into.
I also watched "Scary Stories to Tell In The Dark" which I liked a lot better.

30Ravenwoodwitch
aug 23, 2022, 5:56 pm

Today's Tunes - "The Hearse Song" by Harley Poe, and other spooky sundry.

Afternoon Library Thingamabobs; can you tell I'm ready for Halloween already?
I'll settle for Fall. If Christmas is allowed to skip lanes and start selling in October than I say BRING ON THE PUMPKIN SPICE!


So much so, Sunday night, I sat down and watched "Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark." Another PG13 horror flick, this time curtsey of Guillermo del Toro, and I loved it from start to finish. If you want a grownup version of Goosebumps than put this one on the list. I remember these books scared me (it was the pictures) as a kid but I love them to pieces now.

Report Card
- Bird Box - already ten times better than my last end-of-the-world story. Also, pardon me while I curl up into a ball in the corner; there's a lot here that's uncomfortably close to the anxiety I experienced at the start of the pandemic.
- The Lottery and Other Stories - About a third of the way, still really like it.
- The King In Yellow - 80% done and I'm not a fan of this story. So close...

31curioussquared
aug 23, 2022, 6:03 pm

I'm ready for Fall/Halloween too. I bought a Halloween-themed sweatshirt on Target on Saturday even though it's going to be hot for the foreseeable future. Gotta be ready!

32Ravenwoodwitch
Bewerkt: aug 24, 2022, 11:05 am

>31 curioussquared: I heard that! I've already put the spooky stuff on my desk; I'm on the hunt for more.

Today's Tunes - Feelin' The Killers today, so we have "My Own Soul's Warning" from their last album, Imploding The Mirage. I always love their 80s vibe with their pseudo-Americana sound (though, aren't they from the U.K? Lol) and Brandon's melancholic vocals.

Morning all :)

Oh, Frabjous Day! Callooh! Callay! The local barbeque joint is stopping by work today!
And I actually finished a crochet piece, yesterday!

It's a triangular, color block shawl in three shades of green. I have no means of sharing pictures here so I can't exactly show it off. I'm just glad I managed to see something through.

Report Card
- Bird Box : *rocks back and forth* This is not childhood. This is not childhood...
- Shirley Jackson's short stories: Halfway done. Warning if you pick this one up; racist language against people of color by racist upper-crust white women.

33curioussquared
aug 24, 2022, 12:25 pm

>32 Ravenwoodwitch: Our music tastes don't overlap much, but I do love early Killers. They were my first concert and it was so good. I didn't like their third album as much (don't get me started on Human) and haven't listened to the album you mentioned -- I might need to check it out! I don't think they're from the UK -- pretty sure they're from Vegas or at least Nevada :)

Hooray for finishing a crochet piece!

34Ravenwoodwitch
aug 24, 2022, 2:29 pm

>33 curioussquared: No worries :) I really like Day & Age myself (Spaceman connects with me on a whole 'nother level) and Battleborn (and heh, Human is ironically one of my writing songs. I'm usually paying more attention to the beats than the singer in that one.) And lol, shows what I know. No wonder they talk so much about the desert.

35Ravenwoodwitch
aug 27, 2022, 12:09 am

Good evening Thingamabobs; I am beyond tired.

Work had one of our big events out in the community, which means a lot of driving, a lot of heavy lifting, and I came home feeling grimey and hungry. I've had my massive burger and fries as compensation, and a hot shower. Looking forward to the weekend like wow.

Gonna curl up with my reading list and call today done.

36Ravenwoodwitch
aug 27, 2022, 6:22 pm

Good Afternoon everybody,

Been "one of those days" if you catch my meaning. The kind where missteps are magnified and seem to be happening in a string. So, I've spent a large chunk of time just reading at my desk as a means to cool off.

Halfway through Bird Box and I am enthralled. This is also the first book I have ever read where everything is written present tense, but I'm not complaining.
But, if I could pontificate for a second, this story has me considering harrowing questions I never would have thought of in an End Times scenario. I just wanna reiterate that Mr. Robert Nevelle was obsessive over his inability to have sex... and Malorie almost blinded her newborn infants, on purpose, so they would be safe from whatever Lovecraftian monstrosity is making people go nuts out there. My brain went instantly to my sweet, loving black cat (his name is Salem) and how, despite his laid-back nature, I'd never be able to get a blindfold over him or get him to keep it on. I'd have to stuff him in my jacket and pray, a thought which makes me misty-eyed.

37Ravenwoodwitch
aug 28, 2022, 12:21 pm

Good morning everybody :)

It's a "charge everything" day: The phone, the headphones, my tablet and, yes, including me (heh.) We're gonna make it a nice and easy Sunday,
Starting with a fun video I found by Youtuber Daniel Greene about "What Your Favorite SFF Author Says About You".
He's hilarious; highly recommend his channel.

38kaida46
aug 28, 2022, 7:23 pm

>37 Ravenwoodwitch: I clicked the link for that video and it was both funny and pretty accurate in several places. It's also a good place to get a few TBR titles (as if we don't have enough already, lol).

Enjoy your easy Sunday.

39Ravenwoodwitch
aug 29, 2022, 11:08 am

>38 kaida46: Hi Deb! :)
Daniel's stuff is pretty fantastic. He's got another series I love called "Roasting Your Bookshelves" which is more comedy. People send in pictures of their shelves, they get roasted, a fake grade etc. Highly recommend it if you have some free time.

40Ravenwoodwitch
aug 29, 2022, 11:29 am

Happy Monday (if such a thing exists) to everyone!

I start my day with some Ghost (he's gaining some love on TikTok I see, which could be good or bad) and some of the Irish soda bread I made yesterday. For the rest of you, as I muster the strength to get to the office, here' the spoil from yesterday's Me Time.

Book #20 Of The Year - Bird Box - Physical Book
(and a short one, too. Doesn't even crack 300 pages.)



Brief Summery:
I'll refrain from cheating and saying "The blindfold movie." But this is what that film is based on.
The world has been near destroyed because of creatures that drive people to madness, and extreme violence, on sight. It's caused any who are still to block all windows or doors of their homes, and only go outside blindfolded (if at all.) Malorie has trained her two children to be expert listeners with their ears in this kind of world for four years, and now it's time to put it to use. They need to make a journey down the river in a rowboat, completely blind, with more than just these mysterious creatures at their heels. All the while, Malorie relives how the world shrank down to their safe house, and why she's now all alone (in other words, flashbacks.)

My Thoughts
Otherworldly creatures that cause madness on sight? How Lovecraftian. I was in for a penny and stayed for the whole damn pound.
I think the book's great. The story itself, beyond having a very tight plotline, gave me momentary flashbacks to how the world shut down during the pandemic and quickly evolved into straight-up terror at the kind of actions/sacrifices these characters had to make. The cons are pretty big: I don't think I'd like to read another book all in the first person, nor do I think the pacing was long enough. The ending sort of felt like the author had to rush things, which left it not as satisfying as it could have been, but I've seen Stephen King get away with that for years. The writing itself is nothing special but not bad. I'd say this book is easy to read, and scary to digest.

Next On My List - I've decided to dig into the ones I own. And, since so many people sang her praises, we're starting with Naomi Novik's Spinning Silver.
I'm three chapters in already and have quite a few questions, lol. But I'm also very intrigued.

41norabelle414
aug 29, 2022, 12:02 pm

>40 Ravenwoodwitch: You mean to tell me this woman was the last person on earth and she didn't spend the whole book complaining that she didn't have anyone to have sex with? Wild.

42Ravenwoodwitch
aug 29, 2022, 1:46 pm

>41 norabelle414: Lol, yeah. Crazily enough, she had BIGGER problems to worry about with two infants and dwindling food. How Nuts. *snicker*

43curioussquared
aug 29, 2022, 2:28 pm

>40 Ravenwoodwitch: Bird Box has always seemed just a liiittle too spooky for me so I will continue to avoid it :) But yay, Spinning Silver!!

44Ravenwoodwitch
Bewerkt: aug 31, 2022, 5:08 pm

Book #21 of The Year - The King In Yellow - Libby app


I have kept my sanity intact. I think. Maybe.

Brief Summery
The King In Yellow is a collection of short stories revolving around a fictional play of the same name, rumored to drive the reader insane if read. The mythos surrounding the play has been assimilated into Lovecraft's mythology (to my knowledge.) The latter half of the book, however, features stories from other works by Chambers with no connection to the Yellow storyline.

My Thoughts
I don't like being promised horror and getting the writer's equivalent of a mixtape. The stories concerning the king in yellow himself are great; everything else could have been great, had I not been annoyed at their inclusion. When I'm promised a play that drives people over the edge, chances are, I won't be in the mood to read about the shenanigan's of bohemian artists in Paris.
"Meh" is my review of the book overall. I just wish we'd ended as strongly as we started.

Next - Pride and Prejudice. Because the weird habit of mine to start it and never finish it ends now.

45curioussquared
aug 31, 2022, 1:15 pm

>44 Ravenwoodwitch: I think that's my general problem with short stories, even collections built around a theme -- they always feel like a mixed bag with some good stuff, some bad, and I don't have the patience for the bad :)

Yay for P&P! I've been wanting to do a reread -- I picked up the annotated version a few years ago and would love to read it again with all that context.

46scaifea
sep 1, 2022, 5:19 pm

>44 Ravenwoodwitch: I have *such* a hard time with short story collections. You just get started with one and boom it's over and you have to start all over again with another. Bah. And I felt pretty much the same way about this one as you did. Meh City.

47Ravenwoodwitch
sep 7, 2022, 11:26 am

>46 scaifea: Thanks, Amber :)
I think I was just disappointed since I genuinely like Lovecraftian stuff ( it's why Junji Ito is one of my favorites) and got such "meh" at the end. Hype and disappointment are far worse.

48Ravenwoodwitch
sep 7, 2022, 11:35 am

GOOD morning everyone; I'm a little sick.

Never fear, just the allergy sniffles. Seasonal transitions and I never got along. I apologize for the lack of updates. I had a very un-productive Labor day, as I prefer it, along with two very productive weekend days. Work has finally finished the big, summer-long event that we do and has moved on to a couple of holiday events to happen later in November and December. We're gonna enjoy this slow period as I take another rest day.

On the reading front, I'm still making progress. The Ice/Gold Fairies are sniffing around Miryam's home; because nothing makes you a target for the fair folk quite like avarice and pride. I'm almost done with the short stories from Shirley Jackson, and I've cracked open Pride and Prejudice again.
On that one I must say; either I'm getting smarter, or Jane's writing is truly sublime because I am having no trouble at all following what's happening.

49Ravenwoodwitch
sep 11, 2022, 6:05 pm

Hello again everyone,

Today's Tunes - The entire Rumors Album, by Fleetwood Mac (with a twist, see below)

Yesterday, I took the plunge on something I've been itching to try and bought myself a simple turntable (just a Crossley, nothing special) and have officially joined the hunt for sweet vinyl. I only have one actual used/old-school vinyl in the collection right now (Pat Benatar's Live From The Earth) and the others are brand new make. Doesn't change how surreal an experience it is to hear "The Chain" in this format. It hits the ears so much better than my Spotify.

Anyway, I'm geeking out; just building up my reading music, don't mind me (lol).

Made more progress in Pride and Prejudice, remembering why this story always hits so well. The Kira Knightly/Matthew Macfadyen film is my favorite movie if anyone's curious. I could watch it once a day, easy.
My second favorite is the adaptation with the zombies, even though it's a different book. Darcy and Elizabeth having a literal martial arts fight over Jane and Bingley is the stuff of comedy gold.

50Ravenwoodwitch
sep 12, 2022, 2:03 pm

Happy Monday Morning everyone! (If such a thing exists, lol).
Today's Tunes - Back at the office, so we've got Ghost's "Kaiserion" pumped full volume into my headphones (I hear he's gotten extra popular thanks to TikTok; anyone confirm?)

I am tired, and will probably have some sore shoulders tomorrow thanks to an arm workout from the Fitbit app. But I otherwise feel good and I'm ready to tackle work today, along with a seafood/barley dish for dinner tonight.

Book report
I'm halfway done with Jackson's short stories. I think I finally figured out the theme tying them all together; don't worry, it isn't a spoiler.
"Women and the Ways We Suffer" (or the ways they did in that time period anyway).

Extra
- I wasted a chunk of my weekend on Stardew Valley; we just finished summer and will be starting fall when I kick it up next.
- I did get around to homemaking some ranch dressing yesterday. S'good stuff that may just turn me off Hidden Valley for the rest of my life.

51kaida46
sep 13, 2022, 8:09 pm

I haven't read any Jackson in a while, maybe its time to pull some out again.
LOL! Stardew Valley! I dabble occasionally but I really need to figure out a better way to organize my trunks of stuff, and find all those rare mushrooms.

52curioussquared
sep 13, 2022, 8:35 pm

>50 Ravenwoodwitch: I haven't seen any Ghost on the sides of TikTok I'm on, but it's very possible he just doesn't come up for me šŸ¤·ā€ā™‚ļø

53Ravenwoodwitch
sep 13, 2022, 8:46 pm

>52 curioussquared: Hey Natalie :)
It may be dying down; my coworker who follows TikTok didn't even recognize the song. If you're curious, the song that trended is called "Mary On a Cross".
Still rooting for your Greyhound Boy.

>51 kaida46: Hello, Deb :)
Yeah, organization is key in the game. It's why I have a physical map I'm using on how to set up the farm.
And I encourage you to pull some stories from her again :) I enjoy her writing style a lot.

54Ravenwoodwitch
sep 24, 2022, 8:46 pm

It's been a while since my last update, hasn't it? Hello everyone :)

It's mostly because reading progress has slowed down a lot. Between work stress and helping my parents out with some personal stuff, I just haven't been awake enough to invest time in the books. But things are settling down now and so we shall hopefully see some progress.

In the meantime, I've finally got two squares done for the big ole' crofter blanket project. Two down, 78 more to go, lol (* le sigh*)
To my fellow Crochet folk out there: I'm trying to decide if I should wait until they are all made before seaming the squares together or if I should seam them together as I make them. Thoughts?

Hope everyone is having a good week otherwise.

55curioussquared
sep 25, 2022, 3:57 pm

Totally understand being overwhelmed with work and life getting in the way! I have nothing to contribute to the crochet conversation but hope the project goes well :)

56Ravenwoodwitch
sep 27, 2022, 6:13 pm

Hello again, All :)

Things have settled down, at last, and I've had some time to cozy up with my reading material. I have accepted that I will likely not make the full 75 goal by the end of this year (unless I start burning through novellas) but I'm excited to see how many I do get and try again next year. Everyone here has been great and I'm more than happy to come back.

Progress made:
- Crept further in Pride and Prejudice.
Mr. Collins is here, in all his snobbish, humble-brag glory. I truly forgot how insufferable he was; I think being played by Doctor #11 in the zombie variant is as close to being likeable that this character will ever get.
- That's two squares done for the crofter blanket, a different square to practice the puff stitch (my fingers hurt) and the start of a fun pattern for a wrap. That's... either five or six projects going right now. But each is coming up smoothly! (lol)

57kaida46
sep 27, 2022, 8:53 pm

As long as you are enjoying your reading, numbers don't matter.

Good luck with the blanket, too. I have crocheted in the past but not lately so I might need to practice a bit before embarking on a project. I have seen those chunky blankets though and they look all inviting for a chilly evening!

58Ravenwoodwitch
sep 30, 2022, 1:59 pm

>57 kaida46: I appreciate that, thank you :)
It's fall here, so, part of it is I want something to snuggle up with.

59Ravenwoodwitch
sep 30, 2022, 2:10 pm

Good afternoon, All :)

I am feeling good today; In fact my mood has been pretty good for most of the week and I consider that a bonus. The tips from my therapist must be doing something right.
I'm on the cusp of a four-day break from work so I'm trying real hard to focus now (not working, lol). Have also, lately, been playing some games from my childhood on the switch. They just added this really obscure one on the Super Nintendo to it called "Earthworm Jim 2." I don't expect anyone to recognize it; all you have to know is that kid me found the absurdist humor of it entertaining for hours.



Otherwise...
- Another square down for my crofter blanket. 77 to go.
- More progress in Spinning Silver
I'm more scared of the Tsar than of the Staryk if I'm gonna be honest. Ice man took Miryam away out of a deal/obligation; the Tsar strikes me as the kind of guy to be cruel to Irina because he enjoys it.

60curioussquared
sep 30, 2022, 3:16 pm

It's fun to mess around with the Switch Online games, isn't it? I spent some time with the Super Nintendo Donkey Kong Country recently and it was a blast from the past. I've never heard of Earthworm Jim 2 but your out of context hilarious screenshot kind of makes me want to look into it šŸ˜‚ I do want to take the plunge and play through Ocarina of Time on the Switch (I played a bit as a kid but I think I didn't have the attention span for such a challenging game at that age) but have been waiting to pay the premium fee for the N64 games until I know I have time to dive in and enjoy it.

61Ravenwoodwitch
sep 30, 2022, 5:04 pm

>60 curioussquared: So much fun. And, lol, Jim2 could be pretty challenging but it's a lot of fun. That level is the bane of my existence but the rest of the game is cool. And oh, I loved DK Country too! Never managed to beat it, alas and alack.
I highly support the OoT playthrough. The game was a major title in my childhood, too, and introduced me to the idea of a cinematic experience in a game. Recommend the remastered version if you can! *thumbs up*

62scaifea
okt 5, 2022, 4:31 pm

Earthworm Jim! Very cool. Haven't thought about that game in ages!

63Ravenwoodwitch
okt 5, 2022, 5:07 pm

>62 scaifea: Groovy! *Wink* It was a piece from my childhood that was so fun to revisit (especially now that I can save it and come back later, bwahaha).

Howdy everybody! It's been quite a long time, and much has happened.
Mostly, my childhood home is officially gone; specifically, my parents have moved from there to a new condo, and the old place was finally sold. I spent much of this week helping them move/unpack and am now thoroughly exhausted. I'm also homesick in a way I wasn't expecting, but we deal with that one day at a time.
Their cats are, honestly, the only ones refusing to adjust. Poor things are still refusing to come out from their new bedroom.

Other Updates
- Almost done with The Lottery and Other Short Stories. Had to switch to e-book on this one since my audiobook was due back (and there were a lot of hold requests). I like this collection better than Chalmers, but I do suspect a lot of it is going over my head.
- On the audiobook shuffle, we're balancing The Lost Village, a so far curious piece that promises to mirror the Blair Witch Project in atmosphere, and From Here to Eternity by a FAVORITE youtuber of mine (Caitlin Doughty, aka AskAMortician). I'm in love with both so far, especially since Caitlin narrates her own book.
- I tried working with 100% wool on wood knitting needles and just pulling the fiber gave me rope burn. I'm not giving up, but, ow.

64kaida46
okt 6, 2022, 4:02 pm

Just checking in! Bring on the Shirley Jackson....
From Here to Eternity sounds interesting, you might also enjoy Stiff. Mary Roach writes NF about oddball subjects and has an engaging style. Having worked in a medical lab for many years, things non medical folks consider gross don't really faze us and we are generally the curious type.
Happy Reading.

65Ravenwoodwitch
okt 6, 2022, 10:07 pm

Thanks for the suggestion! I've always had trouble starting nonfiction and thought a familiar voice/unusual topic would help. I'll add this one to the list :)

66Ravenwoodwitch
Bewerkt: okt 14, 2022, 12:34 pm

Guess who's back! With a review, finally, under her belt...
Book #22 of the Year - The Lottery and Other Stories - E-Book/Audio Book



Quick Summery
I think The Lottery doesn't need an introduction, but the rest of the book perhaps. These are all short stories about various women - sans one about a man whom I think was supposed to be behaving like a homemaker - and the various ways their cities, surroundings, and neighbors snake into them and cause them either grief or to go off the deep end. One culprit of many is a man by the name of James Haris, the "demon lover."

My Thoughts
I think, sadly, a chunk of this went over my head; I had to read some spark notes to even catch on to what was happening with Haris. But my inability to analyze this is not a mark against it. These stories are engaging and off-key in just the right way, and I recommend anyone who wants to venture in (and finds my other horror reads too spooky) to do so.

67Ravenwoodwitch
okt 16, 2022, 12:11 pm

Book #23 of The Year - The Lost Village - Audio Book. Horror/Suspense



CONTENT WARNING: This book contains not only described gore, but discussions of sexual violence (two assaults specifically) with discussions on the victim's injuries. It also includes both physical and mental abuse against a character on the spectrum.

Quick Summery
Silvertjarn is one of Sweden's only ghost towns. It's a former mining village where the residents formed a Jonestown-like cult before they all vanished off the face of the earth in 1959. All police found was a woman stoned to death in the square, and a newborn baby - still alive - in the church. Documentary filmmaker, Alice, is looking not only to tell the story of her grandmother (another survivor) but maybe to find an answer the police missed. But it soon becomes clear that their four-man film crew is not alone.

My Thoughts
First and foremost, I'm glad I had the audiobook for these Swedish names.
Second, I was promised an experience of Blair Witch meets Midsommar. This is mixed news since I found The Blair Witch Project more annoying than scary, but at least the drama between this group makes more sense than a ten-minute shouting match over a map. The story behind Silvertjarn and it's disappearance is fascinating if dark, and Sten's writing is suspenseful and grabby. But I still found the A-story far less engrossing than the B-story, and A-story suffers from a twist that feels more like it belongs in an episode of Scooby Doo than a ghost story.
To be blunt, I don't like the "it was a real person all along" twist in horror stories. Feels like cheating.
I know some of you have survived a Stieg Larsson novel and would probably be fine. But I'm unsure if this one is worth it in the end.

68Ravenwoodwitch
okt 16, 2022, 12:20 pm

Hi guys :)

As you can see I got another audiobook under my belt. This shuffle business I'm doing with them seems to be helping me pick up some steam so I'm gonna run with it. I had some plans today with coworkers that had to get rescheduled (blessed timing in disguise, since my mother has fallen ill and needs some help) so today will be spent helping my folks, reading, video-gaming, just having a good time before work kicks back up.

Book Report
- Finished two, and started The Boy In the Stripped Pajamas on a whim.
- I also could no longer resist the sirens song of my local library and came back with a copy of American Psycho which I've also started. Pray for me as I dive into the mind of Mr. Bateman.

Crafting
- All the same projects so far. Finally, have a smooth enough hook that working with the 100% wool doesn't hurt my fingers as much. It's gonna make a nice lap blanket.

69Ravenwoodwitch
Bewerkt: okt 17, 2022, 2:52 pm

Good afternoon everyone :)

Not much to update just yet, beyond finally getting yarn mountain to shrink a little bit. I bought a shelf with some fabric cubes that I'm storing the spare skeins in, but I also need some zip bags to store in their too (I have a cat that loves yarn the way people love spaghetti, so, we got to improvise.)
Progress has been made and I will take it, provided the rest of the week doesn't explode ( news station, so, knock on wood.)

Book Report
- We've gotten to Indonesia in From Here to Eternity; the village Caitlin visited will offer some culture shock, in more ways than one, but I remain infinitely curious.

- On chapter 5 of The Boy In The Stripped Pajamas. I'm not having the best of times, to be frank. Not because of the subject matter but more because this doesn't feel very well put together.
I'm perplexed by Bruno's lack of recognition to who Hitler was/is. It makes sense he wouldn't understand the scope of who he is and what he does, but surely with a military father - respected enough to become a commandant at a camp - he'd at least know who the one his dad follows is? This, along with other brushing off moments or mispronunciations, doesn't feel like a fable to me so much as disrespectful ignorance to maintain an "innocence" for the protagonist. I'm not sure. Anyone willing to weigh in to explain/correct/ elaborate is fine by me. Hopefully this doesn't come across as ignorant or disrespectful on my end, as that's not my intention at all.

70norabelle414
okt 17, 2022, 3:12 pm

>69 Ravenwoodwitch: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas has gotten a LOT of criticism for just the reasons you mentioned. You're not alone.

71curioussquared
okt 17, 2022, 4:01 pm

>69 Ravenwoodwitch: Yep, you're deeefinitely not alone in your feelings on that book.

72Ravenwoodwitch
okt 17, 2022, 5:39 pm

>70 norabelle414: >71 curioussquared: That's the biggest relief I've gotten all day, thank you guys :)

73curioussquared
okt 17, 2022, 5:43 pm

>72 Ravenwoodwitch: Of course! I didn't like the book when I read it when it first came out and never understood the hype, but it kind of took a while for the backlash to really come to the forefront, at which point I felt very validated.

Also, enjoy this story about the author making a hilarious mistake (IDK how this got past copyedits either): https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/aug/03/john-boyne-accidentally-includes-z...

74Ravenwoodwitch
okt 17, 2022, 6:04 pm


It's beautiful and I'm saving this one for later.

75Ravenwoodwitch
okt 18, 2022, 2:11 pm

Happy Tuesday Afternoon all!

I've decided little Bruno and has to go in the corner, and Boyne's novel is not getting finished. I think I've seen/heard enough to decide that this is a poor piece of literature, and a great disservice to use in any classroom, and there's far more exciting things to work with. Instead, I've added my first novel by Joe Hill (Stephen King's son for those unaware) into the audio book rotation (Heart Shaped Box) along with Brave New World.

I was deeply saddened yesterday to discover that Angela Lansbury had died earlier this month; I have no idea how I missed it. Not only was she a familiar face and voice from my childhood (Beauty and the Beast, Bed Knobs and Broomsticks, etc...) but I have fallen in love with the show Murder, She Wrote. It hit like a punch in the gut to see that she's no longer with us. Rest In Peace to an absolute treasure of an actress and performer.

76curioussquared
okt 18, 2022, 2:23 pm

>75 Ravenwoodwitch: Good choice on the DNF! Brave New World is one of those books my class had to read in high school that mostly everyone actually liked.

I know, Angela Lansbury was a hard blow to bear. I know she was old, but it's hard when they're so beloved!

77Ravenwoodwitch
okt 22, 2022, 6:07 pm

Greetings my fellow book lovers :)
The week has closed, the weekend is here, and it's been a rough time. Plans I"ve had to go see the latest Halloween film have fallen through four separate times (things have kept coming up with me and my coworkers, egggh), and election season has fallen on my state/area in full, annoying swing. I could write you line after line about how much I can't stand political ads; they make me want to punch my screen.

In the midst of it all, I am one step closer to conquering the clutter mountain in my bedroom. A new shelf arrived, got built, and the little cuby holes are now holding my yarn, sorted by Lights vs. Darks vs. Scraps. And, lucky me, Joann's had some spare balls of the clearance yarn in the color I need (I got the last two, HA.)

Book Report
- Halfway through Spinning Silver.
My instincts about the Tsar were clearly right, and the Staryk king remains a fascinating puzzle to me that I hope Miryem can crack. As for poor Wanda and Sergey, I'm not sure what's in store for them in this new winter wonderland. ... and I think their little brother can talk to the dead. Huh.
- Two chapters through From Here to Eternity.
If you thought Colorado's open-air pyre was a culture shock, wait until I tell you about the mummies that a group of Indonesians keep in their homes for a stretch after the loved one's death. A shock to my western mind as it is, I'm approaching it with a mind wide-open and curious.

78kaida46
okt 24, 2022, 1:15 pm

Congrats on getting a bit more organized, its one of those things we want to put off indefinitely. Go girl!

79curioussquared
okt 24, 2022, 1:34 pm

>77 Ravenwoodwitch: Political ads are the worst. Have you watched Parks and Recreation? Whenever I see a political ad (which isn't tooo often since we don't have cable and rarely watch live TV) I always think of "Bobby Newport never had a REAL JOB in his life" and how it was a parody that is... really just a real ad you would see on TV.

80Ravenwoodwitch
okt 27, 2022, 12:21 am

>79 curioussquared: You know what's sad? It's not far off from what I'm seeing right now in the Governor's race, lol.

>78 kaida46: Thanks :) TBF there's a lot more clutter that hasn't been organized, but at least I can use more of my closet!

81Ravenwoodwitch
okt 27, 2022, 12:29 am

A late night update, HELLO everyone :)

Halloween creeps closer and candy bowls are multiplying at my job. We had a prime example of weird Midwestern weather with a brief two days of 73 degrees but, now, we're back to those frosty 44s and 35s. I haven't made too much progress in reading the past couple of days but I DID start the process of planning a temperature blanket for 2021 that I may start in the distant future.

I also saw Halloween Kills in preparation to see Halloween Ends. It's always a blast to see Mikey Myers grow less and less realistic as he tears through Haddonfield. There's something very distressing about seeing Fire Fighters and a town of angry normies get absolutely ripped apart by one man.

In REALLY fun news, my first box from Universal Yums showed up finally. I got to choose so I've been munching on South Korean snacks all day. My favorites so far are the milk tea-flavored Choco Pies and the Spicy Chicken Cornpuffs. I've expanded the snack haul for the next box that ships Tuesday and I can't wait (I have a snack-food addiction, send help.)

Book Report
- Next section in From Here to Eternity.
We've gone to rural Mexico to examine El Dia de Los Muertos from both a touristy side and a more traditional side.

82scaifea
okt 27, 2022, 6:28 am

Oooh, I've always wanted to try one of those snack box subscriptions! Please do report back on the various treats you get!

83curioussquared
okt 27, 2022, 12:59 pm

>81 Ravenwoodwitch: Yummm. Milk tea-flavored choco pies sound delicious.

84kaida46
Bewerkt: okt 28, 2022, 1:20 pm

How fun- a snack box subscription! I can't eat a whole bunch at one time so I prefer smaller portions throughout the day, I just have to make sure I am not always snacking, which is what I always want to do but darn that is bad for the waistline. In a perfect world....lol. I had a Japanese friend who once gave me a bag of little dried fish as a snack, apparently its like potato chips or something (no thanks!). (I didn't care for the red bean ice cream either, but the green tea ice cream wasn't bad.)

85Ravenwoodwitch
okt 28, 2022, 8:37 pm

>84 kaida46: Funny you should say that on two counts.
1. The Yum Box doesn't offer too many snacks, and it's all a single serving.
2. And my South Korea box actually has shrimp chips, lol.
I am on the fence. I liked them the more I ate them but I am undecided if I would eat them more often. I am, however, ordering my own batch of the marshmallow cakes I mentioned and the sour grape candies (because of course they were amazing. Sour candies are my weakness.)

86Ravenwoodwitch
okt 31, 2022, 2:39 pm

Happy Halloween Library People!

((Have used this gif before, but...))



It's time for candy with reckless abandon and for me to watch John Carpenter's Halloween for the umpteenth time tonight! But, for now, I still have work (boo, in the wrong way).
I have no costume or pumpkin carved this year. I'm disappointed in me, and we shall use that to make sure next year we look even more fabulous.

Book Report
- More than halfway down with From Here to Eternity. We've looked at Spain, Mexico, Indonesia, North Carolina, and now we're in Japan.
- Started Brave New World.
Chapter one already made curl into a ball in shock. I'm scared.
-Progress made on American Psycho but it's slow goings.
If you're not planning on trying this one I don't blame you. But I will tell you I'm fascinated already by how Bateman views the world around him and the people in it. All his racist, homophobic collogues are described strictly by their business attire while women are given far more detail about their physical appearance. It's so obtuse I believe it's on purpose, and meant to dehumanize Bateman, as opposed to Ellis being a pig author. Especially since Bateman is the guy usually telling his 'friends' to stop being their awful selves (while we all know he's far, far worse). And, for those of you who saw the movie, the book version of his "morning routine" is twice that obsessive.

87curioussquared
nov 1, 2022, 1:51 pm

>86 Ravenwoodwitch: It's a good gif to reuse!!

88Ravenwoodwitch
nov 4, 2022, 11:31 am

G'morning everyone :) Guess who saw Black Adam last night?


I honestly had minimal idea of what I was walking into (and convinced my work girlfriends to see, lol). I knew from my own experience with comic books that he was an antihero and an off-shoot of Shazam (formally called Captain Marvel btw, before Miss Marvel took that title permanently) but had no idea just how dark that story actually got. What's spooky is that the story presented in the movie is actually rather sanitized to what Black Adam actually did in order to be a powerful ruler of his people.

Either way, I liked the film. It's kinda corny in places, and a bit over-explany in others, but I think the story works overall. The costume design was so good here. Cyclone's costume especially. It reminded me of the 90s Sky Dancers.

Oh, and while I questioned if this counted last night I decided "eh, what the hell." I got a small, very quick book finished that I'll be posting a review on shortly.
Late start to the day but onwards and upwards!

89Ravenwoodwitch
nov 4, 2022, 11:36 am

Book #24 of the Year - The Facts in the Case of The Departure Of Miss Finch - Neil Gaiman, Physical Book, Graphic Novel


Story and Thoughts
The story is about three writer friends "saddled" with Biogeologist Miss Finch (not her real name) to entertain for a night. She's the royal buzz-kill nobody ever wants but they are "obligated" to take her out for undisclosed reasons. They take her to a circus one rainy evening, where she's lost to them forever, under circumstances even they don't understand. And they're pretty sure no one will believe them.

To be completely honest this one was a "meh" read for me (and I hate saying that about a Neil Gaiman comic. It hurts me.) The story had the usual wonder and mystery I would expect from him But very little about the characters caught my eye. Not a bad read by any stretch but not one I intend to keep. I'd rather clear my shelves for more Sandman comics.

90curioussquared
nov 4, 2022, 11:51 am

>88 Ravenwoodwitch: Not sure if I'll see Black Adam but I love the Sky Dancers reference, lol.

91Ravenwoodwitch
nov 6, 2022, 2:52 pm

Hey everybody. This somebody wanted to be more productive this weekend; and did manage to get the shopping and some laundry done. But GUESS who woke up this sunday feeling kinda sick?

Meh.


Lazy day it is. Maybe some chicken in the slow cooker if I have the energy for it. But I have made some progress on Heart-Shaped Box while laying in bed. It's good to see Mr. Hill continue King's proud tradition of writing about despicable human beings that are oddly fascinating to read about. Found out my favorite mangaka had a new book out yesterday so I got and finished that (review to follow). Methinks I'll be doing a lot of gaming and crafting today, heh.

92Ravenwoodwitch
nov 7, 2022, 11:03 am

Book #25 of The Year - Black Paradox - Physical Book.


Quick Summary
CONTENT WARNING: TALK OF SUICIDE, BODY HORROR, AND SLIGHT NUDITY.
4 people met with 1 intention - to kill themselves because some "other self" told them to do so. But their plans go awry, and they find themselves, instead, immortal and capable of accessing an invaluable resource. What lengths will they and the rest of the world go to to get their hands on it, "for the sake of humanity"?

My Thoughts
As mentioned, this is my favorite author. I didn't even realize he had a new release when I went to the bookstore on Saturday. But, happy day, I got to ingest some very fresh, very undesirable body horror from Junji Ito. The story itself is pretty straightforward - with characters, I only remember for their appearance and general disposition - but the ending is going to hit me, one night, when I am trying to sleep and thinking too hard, I promise.
Awesome read; recommend it to anyone looking to give this author a try-on if you can handle the above content I warned.

93Ravenwoodwitch
Bewerkt: nov 7, 2022, 11:16 am

Book #26 of The Year - DeathStroke: Arkham - Physical Book, Full Collection.


Quick Summary and Thoughts
Quick Lesson for the unfamiliar with Batman, his universe, and comics. I'm about to go super geek, feel free to skip if you don't care about this kind of stuff.

Arkham is not the usual, standard, all-villains-here jail of Gotham. That's Blackgate.
In fact, its full name is Arkham Asylum for The Criminally Insane, so picture the likes of Scarecrow, Joker, and Two-Face winding up here. Deathstroke is not actually a supervillain; he's a mercenary.

(end of nerd stuff here.)

But Deathstroke is, indeed, in Arkham Asylum on trumped-up charges by his former best friend, Wintergreen, and his ex-wife, Adeline. Slade Wilson is confident he isn't insane going in and is being drugged to think otherwise. 22 days later, his perception of what is real has been broken. The rest of the story is the usual comic-book conspiracy stuff, with a side plot involving his two kids: Rose (Ravenger) and Joseph (Jericho) dealing with some sort of mental illness of the former. It wasn't badly done necessarily but it wasn't I wanted. I wanted The World's Greatest Merc to try and bargain/fight for his life against Gotham's worst, and I got a psychological thriller that was kinda hard to follow. Meh.

94Ravenwoodwitch
Bewerkt: nov 8, 2022, 7:44 pm

Today's Tunes - Listening to The Adventure Zone podcast. Because it's gonna be rough and I need a good laugh.

'Ey 'Ey, all. I'm better; but just in time for elections. The Newsroom is having a FUN time today lemme tell ya. Between my cat waking me up unceremoniously early, and this, you can say I'm in a mood.
In between the crazy I have managed to make some progress. Hopefully that trend continues when I get home to some yummy (spicy) sushi and some hot chocolate.

Book Report
- Made a lot of progress in Heart-Shaped Box and I'm certain I'm almost halfway done.
Note to Self; keep dogs in case you're ever haunted by a hypnotist.
- I'm almost halfway through Spinning Silver.
For the curious, Miryem and Irina have finally crossed paths in the Winter Kingdom of the Staryk. The idea was just tossed out to throw the Ice King at the Fire Demon to see what happens.
-Crawling a little into Pride and Prejudice.
Did any fellow Austin fans catch that Jane was right in the beginning, about how they didn't know the whole story between Wickham and Darcy, and therefore could hold neither at fault? I find that deviously clever.

Craft report
I'm making a scarf for my roommate for Christmas; it'll match the gloves I made her. This pattern has me working on the scarf sideways, which is a first for me. But I'm having fun making the shells and ridges. And we also have two more squares down for the blanket. I think we're halfway done on the width of the blanket but, oh man, we're still a long ways away.
Anybody got a good stash-buster pattern btw?

95norabelle414
nov 8, 2022, 7:58 pm

>94 Ravenwoodwitch: Good luck today!

My recommendation for stash-busting is to befriend a baby so you can make baby things :-)

96PaulCranswick
nov 8, 2022, 7:58 pm

>94 Ravenwoodwitch: Don't get much call for scarves over here, I'm afraid, but I was a regular wearer of them when I lived in chilly Yorkshire.

97Ravenwoodwitch
nov 11, 2022, 2:14 pm

Good afternoon, everyone.

My heart is a bit heavy today as I learned that Kevin Conroy lost his battle with cancer. I may not have been as familiar with his acting career, but he is a beloved voice from my childhood that I will still dearly miss hearing.

It's no joke or exaggeration when I say that the animated DC universe created in the 90s played a major role in my taste for good writing and storytelling. Batman: The Animated Series never shied away from using themes of loss and tragedy in every episode (playing off of Bruce's childhood loss) and Justice League: The Animated Series was my first taste of long-form drama. Konroy's take on Batman remains my favorite iteration of the character, hands down, and my heart goes out to his family and other fans like myself.

Not much to update besides; will likely post again later.

98Ravenwoodwitch
Bewerkt: nov 12, 2022, 5:18 pm

I found this and thought it may interest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTLnoof2vhQ&ab_channel=TheNightBeyond

It's a Youtube Video I promise. It's a couple of clips from the episode Beware The Grey Ghost In which Batman (Kevin Conroy) gets to work with his childhood hero, The Grey Ghost (voiced by Adam West.) I know, for some people, the voice itself will trigger more memories than the name.

Edit: That's also Bruce Timm voicing The Mad Bomber, who cowrote the show (and looks just like said character if I do say so myself, lol.)

99Ravenwoodwitch
nov 14, 2022, 7:34 pm

Good evening everyone, bwahaha. I am on my late-night lunch break so I figured I'd update, catch-up, the ususal.

The Box is in! :D Today's country of snacking shenanigan's is Italy, with a mixture that's equal parts sweet and salty. First try today was from Amica chips: Paprika Chips. A bit mild to my taste buds and a little spicy at the end. But I would eat it again if offered. Second today was a chocolate covered popcorn ball, and were it not for the artificial aftertaste to the chocolate I would have gone to amazon to grab some more. So, two overall that get a "good" rating. I tend to purchase the ones that get a "great" rating from me.
(Hence the box of choco pies sitting in my pantry.)

Lately, I've taken to reading comic books and playing retro games. Working currently on John Byrne's run for Wonder Woman, and discovered I still have my skills in Dr. Mario (though the game makes me go cross-eyed if I play for too long, lol.)

100figsfromthistle
nov 14, 2022, 8:31 pm

>99 Ravenwoodwitch: Interesting when you mentioned paprika chips my mind immediately went to Hungary instead of Italy ;)

The snack box sounds exciting!

101Ravenwoodwitch
nov 16, 2022, 8:36 pm

>100 figsfromthistle: Interesting. The box says the company is Italy's most popular chip seller; maybe they tried an international flavor?
It's been real fun so far.

102Ravenwoodwitch
Bewerkt: nov 16, 2022, 8:47 pm

Good evening everyone :)

With it being the Holiday season, it has been much ado about toys and cheer here at the news station. We do a lot of charity stuff around this time of year and so my department is busy putting it all together. I'm taking a short break to provide some updates (drink a cup of my favorite hibiscus tea).

Book Report
- Almost done with From Here to Eternity. The chapter about Japan tapped into my fascination with their culture (as I admit to absolute ignorance beforehand about their treatment of the dead/funeral services) I may look into this one deeper on my own.
- First section of Byrne's take on Wonder Woman (called "Second Genesis ") is done. Onto part two.

Crafting Report
- Scarf for roomie is halfway done. Got the yarn for my two work friends (my stash did not have the right colors, surprise surprise).
- I did draw something recently, finished in oil pastels.

Snack Report!
Yesterday we tried some Sesame-Cranberry biscuits; nice, shortbread type cookie that would work great in tea and coffee.
We also tried a hazelnut chocolate bar which was naturally a hit (two things I love in one spot.)
But the BIG winner from yesterday was this fruit chew, strawberry flavored. The service lets you order snacks individually, and this is going in my cart ASAP.

Today, we've tried some tasty amoretti cookies. Too small to dip in tea but I love the almond taste and the crunch.

103kaida46
nov 18, 2022, 3:03 pm

Paprika chips are a new one for me, but amoretti cookies are indeed a yummy thing!

104Ravenwoodwitch
Bewerkt: nov 21, 2022, 2:21 pm

Book #26 of The Year - From Here to Eternity: Traveling The World to Find the Good Death - Audio Book.



Brief Summery
Caitlin Doughty is the owner of a funeral home in L.A, California, one of the leaders in the Death Positivity movement, and the mind behind the Ask a Mortician YouTube channel I follow. This book details her trip to several parts of the globe to examine their rituals and thoughts around death to compare to our own. This includes a legal open-air pyre in Colorado (formally a port-a-pyre), tiny skulls that are worshiped in Bolivia (natitas), a state of the art room of Buddahs in Japan, and so much more. Narrated in the audiobook form by Caitlin herself.

My Thoughts
I decided to start here in my first non-fiction read because I'm a fan of Caitlin's channel (if you'd like a recommendation,The Doctor, The Mortician, The Murder is a favorite of mine). Highly recommend the audio book if you can; she's a fantastic orator. This book has some somber topics, and you will experience some culture shock, but I found it fascinating. I can't find an audio of her other book but I will likely read it in some other fashion easily.

105Ravenwoodwitch
nov 22, 2022, 1:58 pm

Seasons Greetings to My Library Friends :)

Today's Tunes "Mary On a Cross" from Ghost, again, soon to be followed by several songs from the album Impera (which won the AMA for Rock Album.šŸ¤˜)

I haven't had much to talk about the last couple of days until now. It being Thanksgiving week, I just have three days at the office this week. This formal retail employee, after spending a lovely evening with the family for Turkey Day, plans to do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING outside the apartment on Black Friday (and I'm gonna enjoy every minute of it.)

Book Report
- Almost done with the Wonder Woman comics.
- Reading Pride and Prejudice yesterday, it occurs to me that Mary Bennet was an introvert; and her being sorta swept under the rug as the forgotten/under accomplished sister becomes all the more sad to me. Poor dear.

Crafting Report
Started the gloves for one of my coworker friends; legwarmer #1 for the other is almost done. Scarf has stalled in the mid section because the diamond stitch is hard :/

Snacks!
Box is almost empty; I like this size better, for sure, as it lasts me the whole month. That same chip company had some pizza flavored rings - which were great - and I tried some crunchy bruschetta bites. There is nothing tiny about these suckers (they're the size of biscuits) and one bite is just a FLOOD of garlic. Lucky me, I like the garlic.

106PaulCranswick
nov 24, 2022, 8:08 am



Thank you as always for books, thank you for this group and thanks for you. Have a lovely day, Kro.

107Ravenwoodwitch
nov 26, 2022, 12:41 am

>106 PaulCranswick: Aw, how lovely; y'all make a girl smile and blush.

Happy day-after-turkey day everyone! I had a very busy/social day for Thanksgiving and needed some time to re-energize (introvert functions, what you gonna do.)

I've got some more book reviews to put up tomorrow. If it isn't obvious I'm padding things a tiny bit by poking my comic collection too (since I tear through them real fast most of the time anyway) with some single-issue books I'd been intending to read. But, on that note, consider me here if anyone would like a recomendation on some starting points in comic books. I know the massive backlog of story/continuity is intimidating for both DC and Marvel, but there are some oneshots you can still enjoy with minimal confusion.

No updates on crafting; I am the slacker on that. But I will have three book reviews to post tomorrow!

108Ravenwoodwitch
Bewerkt: nov 26, 2022, 2:32 pm

Book #27 of The Year - Wonder Woman by John Byrne Vol. 1 - Physical Book



Quick Summary
For those not in the know, the comic industry passes their characters amongst all their writers (along with a continuity bible of sorts.) This collection is historically considered one of the top-tier runs for Wonder Woman, written by author John Byrne (whose claim to fame involves some important Superman storylines that I can talk about if anyone's curious). This is part one, involving a run-in with Darkseid (think Thanos from the movies and you got the same kind of energy), a skirmish with Morgan Le Faye, an attack on her home island of Themyscira, and the introduction of Cassandra Sandsmark, aka Wonder Girl.

My Thoughts
I approached this with only the 90s TV show in mind when it came to Wondy, and I walked away fairly satisfied. The storylines are deliciously corny, the art fantastic, and a couple of the panels were disturbing enough to make the horror fan in me start clapping. While I don't think this one earns a permanent spot on my limited shelf space, I do see myself seeking out vol. 2 in the future.

Edit: for spelling.

109Ravenwoodwitch
nov 26, 2022, 2:39 pm

Book #28 of The Year - Joker by Brian Azzarello- Physical Book



Quick Summary
Comics occasionally do these single-book one-shots. They are a good gateway into comics as a whole for anyone who wants to give it a try.
But not this one.

Through shady circumstances (as always) Joker is officially released from Arkham Asylum. He's picked up by our main character, Johnny Frost, who proceeds to play chauffer/henchman/goffer as the clown prince of crime goes on a brutal revenge spree to regain his assets that were divided up by Gotham's local crime bosses on his arrest. Content Warning for gore, nudity, and violence.

My Thoughts
Modern comics tend to be darker and moodier than the old-school ones; you can thank Alan Moore for that (specifically The Watchman) and this follows some similar tones.
I was not as impressed with this one, though. The story itself is kinda "meh" besides the violence, and the muddy artwork made it tricky for me to understand sometimes what was happening (and to be honest, it gave everyone this surreal ugliness that I wasn't on board with).

110Ravenwoodwitch
nov 26, 2022, 2:51 pm

Book #29 of The Year - Batman: Arkham Unhinged Vol. 1 by Deerek Fridolfs - Physical Copy



Quick Summary
If anyone has played it, this comic is a tie-in to the video game Batman: Arkham City. the TLDR of that one is that the former warden of the Asylum, Quincy Sharp, becomes mayor and closes down the Asylum. Instead, by the directions of the villain, Dr. Hugo Strange, he turns the old part of Gotham into an entire prison where inmates of all the penitentiaries are shoved into, locked inside, and (in theory) forgotten about. This comic covers the fall and rise of the three factions that form within (Joker's gang, Penguin's Gang and Two-Face's gang), the capture of Catwoman, the partnership between Joker and Mr. Freeze, and Batman's work to try and put a stop to it before the start of the game. It also provides a backstory to two mini-bosses in the game.

My Thoughts
First of all, I can't recommend starting the game Batman: Arkham Asylum enough. The story is great, any info you're not familiar with gets plenty of supplemental answers in-game, and it's the kind of gameplay that's easy to pick up and tricky to master.

As for this book, I enjoyed it. There were some nice tasty lore bits I wasn't familiar with and great art. I actually wanna see the rest of it, but, like Wonder Woman's collection, I shall be donating this one to someone else and likely just poking around the library for its sequel.

111Ravenwoodwitch
dec 6, 2022, 7:36 pm

Wow, It's been awhile.


And with minimal to add, beyond it being the busy season at work. Our TV station does a lot of outreach efforts this time of year (meaning the creative department is all busy) and I've been a bit too tired to read much. But I count myself lucky this day, having dodged not one but two COVID scares in the past four weeks.

In the meantime, I have a surprise read I will announce when finished; I dropped everything to read it since two people are waiting for it behind me. Halfway done in two days not necessarily because quality (or even rapt enjoyment) but due to its very simple writing. As my second dip into this genre, I do still have some qualms.

On the crafting front, I am almost done with a set of leg warmers for a reporter friend at the office. Then we have some typing gloves for another friend, a coaster for mom, an ornament for dad... pray for me. It's week one and I'm not where I wanna be.

112PaulCranswick
dec 7, 2022, 1:17 am

Nice to see you back posting Angela and looking forward to your reveal on what it is you've been reading.

113Ravenwoodwitch
dec 7, 2022, 1:56 pm

Good afternoon everyone!

I was excited this morning because my order from Society6 came in. They're a website that lets artists post their designs to be put on pillows, curtains, phone cases, almost anything. A musician I like uses them so I decided to buy a new yoga mat and give them a go.

TBH, I'm disappointed. It smells very strongly of plastic, the design makes the surface feel quite rough, and my cat has already scratched a hole in the design (that's not their fault, but, grr!)I think we'll just use this one for strength training but that is a bit of a letdown.

Elsewise, just helping work prep for our next big event for Christmas. T-minus two weeks until my next time off.

Book Report
- Over halfway done with Surprise Novel. I expect to finish it tomorrow.
- Be proud of me; I went to a bookstore over the weekend and only ordered a gift for someone else. I'm proud of me.

Crafting Report
- AHHHH!
(still working on same project; mea culpa.)

Other Report
- In honor of the death of Christina McVie, a vocalist and keyboard player for Fleetwood Mac, here is my favorite of the songs she sang in their group. She's also the one who sang "Songbird" and "You Make Loving Fun" on the Rumors album, and "Everywhere" on Tango In The Night.

114curioussquared
dec 7, 2022, 2:05 pm

>113 Ravenwoodwitch: Bummer about the yoga mat!

115Ravenwoodwitch
dec 7, 2022, 4:19 pm

>114 curioussquared: Yeah, real let down.
I'm tempted to turn it into my travel mat. As unpleasant as it smells, I'd rather stick my face on it than the floor of the gym, lol.

116kaida46
dec 8, 2022, 10:40 am

Hang in there, this time of year seems to be stressful for lots of folks. As for yoga mats...my son has one that I regularly use for my weekly class, sans the weird plastic smell. I do have to protect it from the cats though, along with the yoga blocks! Well at least you were willing to give it a try, why don't you write to the seller and ask about the smell? Maybe it will help them choose better materials for the next one.

117Ravenwoodwitch
dec 8, 2022, 2:31 pm

Surprise :)

Book #30 of The Year - Mr. Malcolm's List - Audio Book



Not my first romance novel, but my return to the genre after a hiatus (as I read them when I was younger.) I shall elaborate.

Quick Summary
Selena Dalton answers an invite from her former schoolmate, Julia Thistlewaite, in what she hopes will give her the entrance back into society. Turns out, spoiled-brat Julia intends to use Selena to humiliate the most sought-after marriage candidate, Jeremy Malcolm, for "publicly spurning her." Malcolm has been given a reputation for being a "dasher of young women's dreams," and confirmed to have a list of qualifications for what makes the perfect bride. The goal is to make Selena that perfect bride and have her spurn Malcolm in the same fashion. If only Selena hadn't fallen head-over-heels for the dreaded, Honorable Mr. Malcolm in the process.

My Thoughts
I have a confession: I tend to roll my eyes at Romance fiction. But, because I was curious about the set-up here, and I know several of you are fans of the genre, I gave it a try. I am getting off my high-horse and talking about this as if I wasn't lit-major Hipster but feel free to call me out if I fail.

I like Jeremy Malcolm as a love interest; I like Julia as a foil. I found Selena boring, but not offensive. Points in Allain's writing felt reputative, especially when read aloud, but the prose is simple and easy to digest. I think she took on too many point of views to write about as well. But, overall, the book is an easy read that's easy to get into if you let yourself. It's not going to change my mind about the genre and convince me to read more, but it works for what it sets out to do.

So, a "meh" from me. But I'm always curious to hear someone else's take on it.

118curioussquared
dec 8, 2022, 3:09 pm

>117 Ravenwoodwitch: I haven't read this one but have seen mixed reviews of both the book and movie.

I used to be like you with romance novels -- I had a vague sense of the genre being beneath me. But I've always liked romcom movies and "chick flicks", so I don't know where I was really coming from. Then 2020 hit and things were bleak, and I needed happily ever afters, and I've been a romance reader ever since. I think it helps that the genre is sort of having a renaissance and getting away from bodice ripper-style covers and embracing cute, cartoon illustrations people don't feel weird about reading in public. There's also a lot more diversity in romance these days -- Jasmine Guillory and Talia Hibbert helped me get into romance.

119norabelle414
dec 8, 2022, 3:14 pm

I don't really like Romance novels, but I like all of the other stuff that is in Romance novels, like friends and humor and low stakes drama. So I still read and mostly enjoy them and just don't go into it expecting to be interested in the Romance part.

120Ravenwoodwitch
dec 12, 2022, 6:40 pm

Hello everyone :)
First and foremost, I appreciate the responses I got on the topic of romance novels. It's given me some new ideas to ponder.

Second, Let us rejoice: two of my make-gifts are done, my Secret Santa is purchased, and I have the gift for my roommate almost done. Progress is made, if I can but pick up the pace. A snag in that department, as my roving yarn decided to break while I was frogging.



For work I brought in some homemade Peppermint Bark. And I made some progress on both American Psycho.(And the award for the most uncomfortable, traumatic sex-scene goes to.....) and Brave New World (traumatizing babies in the name of SCIENCE!). I've got some time off next week so, I will either catch up or take some much needed "vegetable" time on the coach.

121Ravenwoodwitch
dec 20, 2022, 2:57 pm

'Eyyyyy everyone.

Today's Tunes - Got Christmasy with Wham! and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra for awhile, but now I'm onto more Fleetwood Mac with "Gypsy", "Everywhere" and "Sweet Little Lies."

I took some time to put my head down and really work on my gifts. Both work friends got/loved their gifts (some dragon scale gloves and some leg warmers) and we're getting ready to go see "Violent Night" in the theater tomorrow. I almost gone my dad's Polar Express Bell done, Roommate's scarf is halfway done, and then I can, real quick, get the Granny-Square table-decoration for my mom done. I'm gonna be on extended Christmas Vacation for the next six days, so, we gonna get this done!

Book updates in next post. Got my last "work meeting" before break; pray for my soul.

122Ravenwoodwitch
dec 20, 2022, 6:09 pm

Book Report
- Little over halfway done with Heart-Shaped Box. I'd be lying if I didn't day that this story does feel like a Northern idea of what "southern trash" is like, but I find the story itself so engaging I don't even care.
There was a scene where someone's smoker's throat box got possessed by the evil ghost to threaten our protagonist. I couldn't stop laughing.

-10 more chapters to go in Spinning Silver.
I would put down money that Naomi Novik is a knitter. Wanda's struggles with tension when knitting a blanket got too real.

123PaulCranswick
dec 20, 2022, 6:17 pm

Catching up and hoping you get both those reads over the line, Angela.

124PaulCranswick
dec 25, 2022, 11:15 am



Malaysia's branch of the 75er's wishes you and yours a happy holiday season.

125Ravenwoodwitch
dec 25, 2022, 12:00 pm

Merry Christmas Library Thingamabobs!

Your girl managed to make the finish line with all her makes, but only by pulling a long night Christmas Eve. But everyone's happy with the results which is all I can ask for.

My total is below the goal for reads this year but I'm so proud of how much I've managed with such a late start. And, when I get to start again on January 1st, I know it's gonna be even better. Here's to all of you for being so awesome!

126Ravenwoodwitch
Bewerkt: dec 26, 2022, 11:19 am

Book #31 Of The Year - Heart-Shaped Box - Audio Book



Quick Summary
Aging Rockstar Judas Coin has done everything he can to run away from the abusive family farm he grew up on in Louisiana: make occultly rock music, date a string of Goth Girls, and even start a collection of paranormal oddities. To add to that collection he buys a ghost; that ghost turns out to be the stepfather of an ex-girlfriend, one who killed herself after they broke up. And this Ghost won't quit until Jude is dead.

My Thoughts
Warning if you pick this one up: Child Sexual Abuse is talked about in detail. And done so in a way that made me roll my eyes instead of feel disturbed. This cool story is just wrapped up in trite writing decisions like that, along with every single stereotypical thing someone could think of for "southern trash." I very much like Jude and the rock music references, but wish Mr. Hill would just chill out on the edgy stuff.

127Ravenwoodwitch
dec 26, 2022, 11:25 am

Hello Hello Library Folk!

Today's Tunes - A little later, I'll listen to the vinyl I got for Christmas: David Bowie's Blackstar. Bittersweet, but undeniably an amazing album.

It's quiet today. The post-Christmas stillness has come to my city, and a fresh dusting of snow is only adding to the stillness of it all. It's my last day off from work before we get back to the grind and I need to decide if it's a staycation day or if I wanna go out on a Target Run.

I've got some books I'm gonna try and finish up before Saturday; Wish me luck!

128Ravenwoodwitch
dec 27, 2022, 2:05 pm

'Sup :)



Back at the office. My feelings are mixed since, on the one hand, my world is back on schedule and I only work four days this week. On the other hand, I'm back at work instead of in my cozy chair with my favorite blanket. Meh.

I got my royal breakfast latte from Starbucks and I'm doing my best to get back to productivity. Gonna do some crochet work that's for me this time (strange how I'm already okay with picking a hook back up again) and some new video games to play later. I got The Long Dark from one of my best friends (steam) and Bloodstained, Ritual Of The Night from my roomie so those are my current go-tos.

Still reading Spinning Silver, ten chapters to go. Still listening to Brave New World and feeling increasingly disturbed.

129curioussquared
dec 28, 2022, 5:37 pm

I took yesterday and today off so am still lounging on my couch, but your penguin GIF about sums up how I'll feel tomorrow :)

130Ravenwoodwitch
dec 28, 2022, 7:57 pm

Howdy.

Day two back in the barren hellscape that is the office space. I feel better at about being here; would still rather be back at home with my home-made blanket and Irish soda bread.
Managed to get in an upper body workout in, and get my keister to my desk. And, through a chain of events, my three-person movie later this week has morphed into a five person department outing. I'm anxious, not gonna lie, but also oddly excited, since I do genuinely like the people I'm going with. I'm just not used to groups that size (and some bullying in high school makes me a newbie at large outings.)


Introvert first world problems, right?

Gonna get some more from Spinning Silver done later tonight.

131PaulCranswick
dec 28, 2022, 8:44 pm

>130 Ravenwoodwitch: Finger's crossed that you will fully enjoy yourself. x

132kaida46
dec 29, 2022, 4:49 pm

Enjoy your outing! I'm stuck at home here while hubby battles the flu.

133Ravenwoodwitch
dec 30, 2022, 7:47 pm

>132 kaida46: I'm so sorry to hear that, Deb :0
I hope your husband feels better soon (and that you don't get sick too!)
>131 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul! Hasn't exactly worked out that way, alas, but I always appreciate the thought.

Today's a day of disappointment. How poetic for the last couple of days of 2022 to be irksome.
Two extras canceled on me for the outing, and other two need to reschedule due to timing issues and work schedules. Late for work; couldn't bring my usual lunch. Bleck.


So, home again. Can usher in some more books to send off the year in the meantime. I have some catching up to do anyway since yesterday was a migraine day. Here's to hoping for better luck in 2023.

134Ravenwoodwitch
dec 31, 2022, 11:08 pm

Here it is, my final book of 2022.

Book 32 of the Year - Spinning Silver - Physical Copy.



Quick Summary
After living in poverty and nearly starving to death, Miryem, the daughter of the village moneylender, takes up her father's position and balances their books properly. But her boasting of turning silver to gold gains the unwanted attention of the Staryk King, the cruel Fair Folk who bring the wrath of winter itself behind them. And Miryem's bargaining skills get her tangled in a political web with something far more sinister under the skin.

My Thoughts
I straight up started cackling at the end of this book, ngl. Something about the Staryk King now making a proper plea for Miryem's hand was just so ironic I couldn't help myself.
But that aside, this was a hard read for me. The magical descriptions were difficult to pierce out; the political intrigue went right over my head like a winter wind. But the core story is enthralling. I do wish it didn't jump around to so many narrators, but I'm glad I gave this a try. I'm not sure I'll come back to Naomi Novik right away but she's definitely on my radar.

135Ravenwoodwitch
dec 31, 2022, 11:26 pm

2022 in Review
-Books Read - 32
Generes Explored- Mystery (cozy), Romance (Period), Horror, Psychological Thriller, Science Fiction (Comedy).

Favorite Read

This was the one with the deepest hook in my mind. It's terrifying; It's creative; I want it on my shelf, now.

Least Favorite Read

There are two great sins, I feel in artwork: being boring, and being disappointing. This one is both.
Don't bother with this one. Matheson has next to no grasp on what makes a good apocalypse story; if you're not bored out of your skull from all the meandering mellow-drama, you'll be scratching your head at why Robert Neville is whining about the women being Hot Zombies (trademark).

Surprise Delight

I came in wanting to understand the upcoming movie; I left learning that I love Agatha Christie and the Belgian Detective with the awesome mustache.

Surprise Disapointment

This book covers the era and genre I love. But I can't stand most of the characters. But this will be a great read for someone else.

And with that, I say thank you to everyone at Library Thing and in the 75 Books Group for all being such awesome, welcoming people. I'm proud of the number I've reached here and I can't WAIT to see what I dig into in 2023. Happy New Year to everyone!